


Trophies

by PleasingNight



Category: Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Julius Caesar - Shakespeare
Genre: Gen, Mimetic doubles, whatever the hell they are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-30 15:54:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20775191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PleasingNight/pseuds/PleasingNight
Summary: Cassius' birthday/deathday is soon, so I'm opening the season.Antony has a moment after the first battle of Philippi.





	Trophies

Cassius’ red mantle and sword lay on the floor of Antony’s tent – taken from the corpse, brought here by a defector. The things have a discomforting air about them: they seem _just _things, not something that could have belonged to a person. Empty shells, or worse than shells, without even _absence_ to fill them.

Is it odd of Antony to fall into a melancholy mood, so soon after he jumped and shouted of joy for Cassius’ death? He is still pleased, of course: Cassius’ timely demise means hope to Antony, and salvation, and victory, if only his luck holds.

But there is a moment of emptiness after every rapture. Antony knows how to deal with such a thing. …Does he? He picks the sword off the floor. Lighter than Antony’s own; the hilt is simple, and worn. But it lies in Antony’s hand too well.

His eyes narrow in suspicion. With two fingers, as if he was touching a poisonous but dead sea animal, Antony picks up the mantle. He throws it over his shoulders, as if to keep warm, and sits staring into middle distance.

‘I’m a dead man’, Antony proclaims aloud - and bursts out laughing. It sounds hilarious. He laughs and laughs, and then slips out of the cloak like a snake out of an old skin. Antony lives.


End file.
